For Twiston-Davies, Imperial Commander led in his first start for 680 days until Cape Tribulation (7-1) caught him late on.

The 12-year-old heads back to Cheltenham in March for a Betfred Gold Cup reclamation bid.

Twiston-Davies said: “If we’d been able to get him fit enough, he probably would have won.

“It was heartbreaking to see him mugged on the line but yet again he proved all his doubters wrong. It’s been so difficult getting him back with his splint problems but we have kept him swimming which made all the difference.”

The New One led over the last fence but McCoy guided home At Fishers Cross (13-2) who took the Grade Two event by a neck from the 4-5 favourite.

Twiston-Davies continued: “We will go for the Neptune and the Festival is going to be run on very different ground.”

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